Vehicle lighting source adapter

A vehicle lighting source adapter includes a holder, terminals, and cables connected to the terminals. The holder has its front end disposed with an insertion plate. The insertion plate includes an upper surface and a lower surface. Each of the upper and lower surfaces is disposed with connection channels and insertion blocks. Each connection channel includes a first fillister and a second fillister. A retainer is disposed to each fillister. Each terminal is inserted into and partially exposed form the first fillister and has its snap portion to be restricted by the retainer.

Skip to: Description  ·  Claims  ·  References Cited  · Patent History  ·  Patent History
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting source adapter, and more particularly, to a holder having at its front end disposed with an insertion plate, and the insertion plate is disposed with connection channels and insertion blocks to receive insertion of terminals.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Among those vehicle lighting fixtures generally available in the market, LED becomes the most popular today. However, the LED is not compatible with the conventional lamp holder and the vehicle lamp contacts must be revised.

An adapter of the prior art has a flat and straight metal terminal fixed to a holder while the holder is inserted into the lamp holder with the terminal from the lamp holder abutted to that from the holder in a fashion of local plane. Therefore, minute spacing does exist between the terminals due to the process allowances respectively of the adapter holder and the vehicle lamp holder. Consequently, there is the imprecise abutting between both terminals, leading further to a broken circuit due to poor contact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lighting source adapter to solve the problem of broken circuit due to poor contact.

To achieve the purpose, the present invention includes a holder, terminals and cables. The holder has its front end disposed with an insertion plate. The insertion plate includes an upper surface and a lower surface. Each of the upper and lower surfaces is disposed with connection channels and insertion blocks. Each connection channel includes a first fillister and a second fillister. A retainer is disposed to each fillister. Each terminal is inserted into and partially exposed form the first fillister and has its snap portion to be restricted by the retainer.

Accordingly, when the second fillister of the connection channel of the holder receives the insertion by a terminal of a lamp holder from a vehicle, the terminal of the lamp holder and the snap portion of the terminal from the holder are abutted to each other to minimize the incidence of broken circuit due to poor contact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing that the present invention is inserted to a lamp holder.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a holder (1) and terminals (2).

The holder (1) has its front end disposed with an insertion plate (11). The insertion plate (11) includes an upper surface and a lower surface. Each of the upper surface and the lower surface of the insertion plate (11) is disposed with connection channels (12) and insertion blocks (13). Each connection channel (12) includes a first fillister (121) and a second fillister (122). The first and second fillisters (121, 122) are arranged in parallel with each other and partially connecting through each other. A retainer (123) is disposed to each fillister at where both fillisters are connected through. The retainer (123) is a shoulder portion. The insertion block (13) is inclined towards to its outer end.

Each terminal (2) is disposed with a snap portion (21) and the snap portion (21) is inclined towards to its outer end. A cable (22) is connected to the back of each terminal (2). The terminal (2) is inserted into and partially exposed from the first fillister (121) and the snap portion (21) is restricted by the retainer (123).

As illustrated in FIG. 1, three terminals (2) are disposed to the holder (1) [only one terminal is visible while the other two terminals beneath the insertion plate (11) are blocked out of sight]. Each terminal (2) at its back is connected with the cable (22). In another preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 2, four terminals (2) are provided to the holder (1) [only two terminals are visible while the other two beneath the insertion plate (11) are blocked out of sight]. Each terminal (2) at its back is connected with the cable (22). Both preferred embodiments feature the identical construction with the only difference in that one more terminal (2) is disposed to another preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2. Providing only two terminals to the holder (1) is also feasible with both terminals (2) either provided on one side or respectively on both sides of the insertion plate (11).

In practice, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the insertion plate (11) of the holder (1) is inserted into a lamp holder (3) of a vehicle. The insertion blocks (13) and the snap portions (21) are inclined towards their outer ends respectively to facilitate the insertion of the lamp holder (3) and its terminals (31). Meanwhile, the lamp holder (3) is prevented from escaping due to inverse locking executed by the insertion blocks (13) of the insertion plate (11). The second fillister (122) of the holder (1) secures the terminal (31) of the lamp holder (3) in position. Both positive and negative poles of the terminal (31) are restricted by the second fillister (122) of the holder (1) to force the terminal (31) must be held against by the snap portion (21) of the terminal (2) thus to realize tight contact with the terminal (2) and thus the electric connection to effectively minimize the incidence of broken circuit due to poor contact. Furthermore, the lamp holder (3) is prevented from displacement through the tight insertion executed by the insertion block (13).

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting source adapter, comprising:

a holder, the holder having its front end disposed with an insertion plate, the insertion plate including an upper surface and a lower surface, each of the upper and lower surfaces being disposed with connection channels and insertion blocks, each connection channel including a first fillister and a second fillister; both the first and second fillisters being arranged in parallel with each other and partially connecting through each other, a retainer being disposed to each of the first and second fillisters at where both the first and second fillisters are connected through; each of the insertion blocks being inclined towards to its outer end;
terminals, each terminal being inserted into the first fillister and disposed with a snap portion, the snap portion being inclined towards its outer end and restricted by the retainer; and
cables, each cable being connected to a relative terminal.

2. The vehicle lighting source adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retainers of the first fillister and the second fillister are made in a form of a shoulder.

3. The vehicle lighting source adapter as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the terminals is inserted into and partially exposed from the first fillister.

Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
5036248 July 30, 1991 McEwan et al.
5160200 November 3, 1992 Cheselske
5160201 November 3, 1992 Wrobel
5575459 November 19, 1996 Anderson
5577832 November 26, 1996 Lodhie
5655830 August 12, 1997 Ruskouski
5669703 September 23, 1997 Wheeler et al.
5726535 March 10, 1998 Yan
5806965 September 15, 1998 Deese
5947588 September 7, 1999 Huang
6036336 March 14, 2000 Wu
6220722 April 24, 2001 Begemann
6227679 May 8, 2001 Zhang et al.
6276822 August 21, 2001 Bedrosian et al.
6338647 January 15, 2002 Fernandez et al.
6357902 March 19, 2002 Horowitz
6371636 April 16, 2002 Wesson
6499860 December 31, 2002 Begemann
6547417 April 15, 2003 Lee
6580228 June 17, 2003 Chen et al.
6595656 July 22, 2003 Yoda
6598996 July 29, 2003 Lodhie
6601983 August 5, 2003 Runfola et al.
6621222 September 16, 2003 Hong
6659632 December 9, 2003 Chen
6786625 September 7, 2004 Wesson
6791840 September 14, 2004 Chun
6796698 September 28, 2004 Sommers et al.
6827469 December 7, 2004 Coushaine et al.
6860628 March 1, 2005 Robertson et al.
6880962 April 19, 2005 Coushaine et al.
6905227 June 14, 2005 Wu
6948829 September 27, 2005 Verdes et al.
6957906 October 25, 2005 Coushaine et al.
7040790 May 9, 2006 Lodhie et al.
7052171 May 30, 2006 Lefebvre et al.
7086767 August 8, 2006 Sidwell et al.
7101208 September 5, 2006 Hsu
7111972 September 26, 2006 Coushaine et al.
7114830 October 3, 2006 Robertson et al.
7161311 January 9, 2007 Mueller et al.
20010026447 October 4, 2001 Herrera
20020097586 July 25, 2002 Horowitz
20020117692 August 29, 2002 Lin
20040070519 April 15, 2004 Wu et al.
20050057187 March 17, 2005 Catalano
20050276063 December 15, 2005 Coushaine et al.
20070012997 January 18, 2007 Chung et al.
Patent History
Patent number: 7238061
Type: Grant
Filed: Sep 18, 2006
Date of Patent: Jul 3, 2007
Inventor: Yu-Chu Lin (Tainan Hsien)
Primary Examiner: Ross Gushi
Attorney: WPAT, P.C.
Application Number: 11/532,822